Development of synthetic molecules that provide external control over the transcription of a given gene represents a challenge in medicinal and bioorganic chemistry. Here we report design and analysis of wrenchnolol, a wrench-shaped synthetic molecule that impairs the transcription of the Her2 oncogene by disrupting association of transcription factor ESX with its coactivator Sur-2. The "jaw" part of the compound mimics the alpha-helical interface of the activation domain of ESX, and the "handle" region accepts chemical modifications for a range of analysis. A water-soluble handle permitted NMR study in aqueous solution; a biotinylated handle verified the selectivity of the interaction, and a fluorescent handle confirmed the cell permeability of the compound. The case study of wrenchnolol foreshadows the promise and the challenge of targeting protein-protein interactions in the nucleus and may lead to the development of unique synthetic modulators of gene transcription.